KILFENORA

Located in the north-west of County Clare, this village is chosen by many visitors as a convenient base for the many fishing opportunities the area offers. There are numerous lakes such as Likeen Lake and Lough Lake, which have stocks of rainbow and brown trout. Kilfenora is seen as the gateway to the famous Burren region and the village is steeped in history and culture. The story of the area goes back thousands of years when St Fachtna established an abbey here in the 6th century. The village then gained the title of ‘City of the Crosses’ as a result of the beautifully-carved high crosses located near the cathedral that date back to the 9th and 10th century.

Origin of Name: Kilfenora takes from the name ‘Cill Fhionnúrach’, meaning ‘Church of the Fertile Hillside’ or ‘Church of the White Brow’

Ring Forts, Holy Wells and Castles

The village and its surrounding has a lot to offer including the Burren Interpretative Centre, rare Ring Forts, Holy wells, Castles and a 200 acre lake for trout fishing and boating. There is plenty of choice accommodation and good food to be enjoyed too. Also worth checking out is The Burren Centre & Kilfenora Céilí Band Parlour – a local enterprise designed to educate visitors about local flora, fauna, geology and the local customs of life. Kilfenora has many pubs specializing in Irish music and set dancing – and friendly people, dancing, fun and music sessions all complete the perfect picture.

Kilfenora and Music

You’ll find the village has a long established tradition of music – one of the greatest success stories being The Kilfenora Céilí Band. The band was established in 1907 when a group of musicians came together to raise funds for the local church and to play at local houses or cross road dances. They have never looked back since – going on to become a household name in Ireland and beyond. The 1950s was the golden era of céilí dancing in Ireland, while in the 1960s the band played regularly in England. The band has also won three All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil titles in a row – and while the members of the band have changed over the years, their special brand of traditional dance music remains unchanged and is as popular and loved as ever.